Tag: interior design

As you get set to redecorate the living room, you are likely pretty focused on the sofa, and other large statement items. We’re here to remind you–don’t overlook the accessories!

This week’s tip comes from one of our Steinhafels Greenfield designers. Ida Grossman’s been designing for over 20 years, and has worked on hundreds of luxury homes.

Today, she takes that expertise to offer us FIVE simple tips for snazzing up your ottoman trays and cocktail tables:

Rule of 3’s: Three items work well

Vary the height of the items

Consider selecting at least one sculptural accessory

Contrast color & texture

Use repetition of form and color

Example 1:

In this first photo, the tall sphere provides architectural interest. The round greenery does triple duty by softening the sharp lines of the tall piece, repeating the sphere shape, and adding texture to the composition. The vase repeats the round shape four times, and adds contrast with texture and color.

Example 2:

​The sculptural shape of the lady’s profile creates an interesting focal point.​ The​ shiny dark exterior of all three accessories repeat the texture and color of the black pillow and the metal table base. The dark accessories pop against the light gray sofa, and the lady’s profile is a beautiful contrast in texture and color against the white fur pillow. Notice how the vases are staggered, and stair step down to lead your eye toward the lady!

We post thoughtful and practical decor tips every Monday. Check in next week for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

Interior Design is all about trends that are hopefully here to stay for awhile! One of those is the modern rustic look, which is all the rage right now, and doesn’t appear to be going out of style any time soon.

Believe it or not, Fall is just around the corner. So for this week’s Decorating Solutions Tip of the Week, let’s look at a simple update for an old fireplace: Whitewash! It comes from Interior Designer Colleen Rome. Colleen works at our Greenfield store, and helps customers across the area create the homes of their dreams.

Here’s the fireplace before Colleen’s makeover:

Colleen explains, “Whitewash is so popular right now because it’s a modern rustic look. I’ve have had several clients take on this project with my guidance. There was a little hesitation from some of the husbands who think painting wood or stone is an absolute travesty!”

But… Viola!

Colleen adds, “Every single client that has done it cannot believe the transformation of their room… from dark and drab to bright and beautiful!!!”

Our designers are hard at work on many more insightful tips for you. Check in next Monday for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

Tip of the Week BONUS! Here’s another project Colleen recently worked on:

Many of us worry about overdoing it when it comes to wall decor. Or we don’t want to bother with mounting a picture or piece of art on the wall.

Well… here’s the problem. Blank walls are BORING!

This week’s #DecoratingSolutions tip comes from one of our newest designers, based in Kenosha. Cecily Gaitan has her Associates Degree in Applied Science of Interior Design, and also have certificates for Fundamentals of Interior Design, History of Design and the Decorative Arts, and Sustainable Design.

Cecily explains, “Filling a wall with artwork is a great way to bring color into the room, and doesn’t create a busy look. Nothing is worse than having a huge wall with nothing to fill the space.”

She adds, “If you don’t like artwork or can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, use family pictures blown up in bigger sizes. This also creates a personal design specifically for you and your family.”

We post thoughtful tips like Cecily’s every week! Check in next Monday for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

And if you’d like to work with Cecily, you can email her at cecilyg@steinhafels.com, or ask for her at our Kenosha Superstore!

Beth explains, “The addition of an area rug can add color, pattern, interest, sound control, and comfort to any room. Pictured below are many examples where solid colored leather or fabric pieces can be dressed up by an area rug. By adding this work of art to your floor, you can add the pop to any room. Drawing from the sofa color and wall colors, working with the pattern in your throw pillows can help in selecting an area rug that will compliment your other pieces and tie the room together. Whatever your style, there’s an area rug that could be added to complete your look.”

As you can see, the possibilities are endless! Beth adds, “Area rugs can be used over carpets, hardwood, or tile flooring. You should always include a rug pad to prevent slipping, rug movement, prevent color transfer between surfaces, and to provide comfort when walking, while adding greater sound control. At Steinhafels we stock mostly 8 x 10’s and 5 x 7’s, however many other sizes and shapes are available on a custom order. If you need assistance in selecting the perfect rug for your room, our designers are here to offer their expert advice.”

Our designers don’t have magical powers, but their redesign project results will make you think they do! Check in next Monday for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

When designing a new living space, people tend to pick a paint color and base their furniture selections around this. While this approach seems to make the most sense, it’s actually not the most efficient way to do it.

It’s time for another Steinhafels #DecoratingSolutions Tip of the Week! This week Oak Creek-based Decorating Solutions interior designer Samantha Price explains why you should be thinking backwards!

Samantha says, “With paint being one of the cheapest elements of the room, the most frequently changed, and the one that offers the most variants, it tends to be less stressful to find the furniture, art and accessories first. It is ok to pick a color palette, like ‘I want blue, gray, yellow etc. walls,’ but then find the pieces for the room that you really love and base the shade and tone of the paint color around these pieces.”

Samantha adds, “This will eliminate the stress of finding a sofa that you love in the wrong color, finding a piece of art you love but it doesn’t fit, and so on. These are the pieces that cost the most money and help define your space to your personality, so let’s get it right the first time!”

It’s summer, which is often a time we try to de-clutter, and “air out” our homes. No one wants to be crammed into an overpacked, stuffy room during these hot and humid months. One way to cut the clutter–use furniture with multi-purpose!

It’s time for your #DSTipOfTheWeek! This is where our expert interior designers offer simple, easy tips that you may have never thought about, or have overlooked. This week’s tip comes from Decorating Solutions designer Dawn Adamec, who calls our Waukesha store home.

Dawn uses this Juno Storage Cocktail Ottoman as an example, and explains, “This is a great piece. You can sit on it, put your feet on it, or set an oversized tray on it and it becomes a coffee table. The best part… remove the top and it becomes a great place to store pillows, blankets (if you have that AC set on high!), magazines, and toys.”

Furniture… it’s not just pretty, it can also be functional! Check in next Monday for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

When it comes to interior design, it’s not just about colors and shapes. Textures are a huge focus for designers as well.

This week’s Decorating Solutions Tip of the Week takes a closer look at why textures are so important, and how you can use your furniture to create a more 3-D, textured look.

Jenii Kluver is an interior designer at our Oak Creek store. She explains, “To create a fun look with lots of textures, try mixing leather and fabric furniture pieces. The leather can really show off the style you’re going for, while the fabric pieces can add pops of color and patterns, and create warmth. Choosing a sleek, protected leather can give a contemporary look… while a natural or distressed leather can give a rustic or eclectic look.”

Thanks Jenii–who knew mixing leather and fabric could look so good?! We post a quick and easy decor tip each Monday. Check in next week for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

With all of the hustle and bustle of today’s world, sometimes we just need to take a step back and as Aaron Rodgers once said, R-E-L-A-X!

This week’s Steinhafels #DecoratingSolutions Tip of the Week focuses on finding serenity… in our own home.

Beth Kealy is a designer at our Menomonee Falls store. She has a simple but important tip when it comes to creating a relaxing space. Beth explains, “Bedrooms are often our sanctuary. To make them that way consider adding interest–bright colors, pillows & beautiful bedding, an accented niche, or headboards made from non traditional items.”

A variety of these elements are pictured, and show very different, yet eye-pleasing results. Be creative and group colors and styles that work with each other, and play off each other to create your perfect haven.

So take the time to relax, and enjoy your bedroom as a place to relax, not just collapse after a long day! Check in next week for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

Are you design-illiterate? Do you feel like any time you try to improve the look of your room, you make it look worse? You’re not alone! Most of us don’t have a true eye for decor. But there are some simple things you can do to make it a little easier on yourself.

One of the aspects of design where people falter most is trying to do too much. Designer Dawn Adamec says the old saying is true–LESS is MORE! Dawn is part of the Steinhafels Decorating Solutions program, and is based in our Corporate store in Waukesha.

Dawn explains, “Sometimes things don’t look that big in the store, but then you get them in the room and they are a lot larger than expected. It’s important to check the scale and size of furniture with the actual room dimensions before you make a purchase to avoid mistakes. Mistakes can add more dollars to your purchase with delivery pick up fees and restocking fees. If you do decide to keep it… it will make your room look overstuffed and uncomfortable.”

We know you might want to fit in just one more piece.. but don’t be afraid to keep it simple! Our talented designers are constantly coming up with quick and easy design tips for you. Check in next Monday for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.

Are you looking to make some major updates on your home? Do you want a neutral color pallet with pops of color, but don’t know where to start?

This week’sDecorating Solution’s Tip Of The Week is a little different than most. Instead of just one simple tip, our designer is sharing some of her step by step, insider knowledge from a recent project!

Ida Grossman is an interior decorator at our Greenfield store. For this project she was tasked with helping a couple revamp a childhood farmhouse. Ida says she wanted to create beauty & function by applying these basic elements of design:

Contrast—Adds interest to any room design. In this room, a sharp contrast is seen between the dark brown of the sectional fabric & the wood finish on the tables and the ivory found in the carpet, tufted ottomans, and fur accent pillows.

Proportion—A room that is out of proportion feels wrong to the human eye. The large elements in this room are proportioned correctly, making it feel right.

Color— Repetition in a room creates movement as the eye follows the path of the repetition through the space. Notice how turquoise, the pop color in this pallet, is positioned throughout the room.

Balance—Achieving balance in a room is key. In this design balance is achieved through the varied use of colors and textures.

Even if these concepts don’t directly apply to your project, hopefully this post gives you some insight into what will work best for you. If you need any help, feel free to call your local Steinhafels or stop in–one of our designers would love to help you out!

You can read more about Ida’s project in this recent Onmilwaukee.com ARTICLE.

Take some of the guesswork out of interior design! We post a quick and easy decor tip every Monday. Check in next week for another #DSTipOfTheWeek.